Went to this museum using the Zurich City Pass and was pleasantly surprised by how awesome this…read morelittle museum is. Located in the basement of a fancy Swiss watch store, this museum delivers a lot of information for being so small. You enter and get an iPad after you put your coat in a locker. You then enter in the number of a clock to read more about the piece, and in some instances, you can click the video to hear the chimes.

I came in when it randomly started raining, as it does in Zurich! The entry door is huge and kinda…read moreheavy. The museum is very accessible by multiple trams/buses. The lobby is very nice, and it's free entry just to sit around and enjoy the lobby which already has nice, colorful artwork to admire. My sister actually joined me in here with my niece and my niece enjoyed being breastfed with the beautiful artwork around her haha. The gift shop is also nice but of course pricey. I look forward to coming back to enjoy the full museum!

Kunsthaus Zürich is free on Wednesdays, for those who are looking at visiting, and it just happened…read moreto be the day we were in town. A few tips and tricks for those visiting: They ask you leave your backpacks and purses downstairs in the provided lockers. The elevator system isn't great, and will always stop at the lobby, no matter what you push, so it's a time consuming process to use it. The restrooms look like they should be pull doors, but they're actually push. It's the oddest thing and the honey and I were both tripped up by it. Overall, we both really enjoyed the museum, much more than the famous Prado, and would highly recommend stopping in if you're visiting Zurich, especially if it happens to be a Wednesday.

I love the unfussy, under-hyped, simply lovely Old Botanic Garden…read more When I find myself burnt out by lunch time 'cause I've been running around since early morning and I'm in dire need of some quiet time, I just grab a to-go sandwich or salad from Coop, Babu's or Hiltl (all at walking distance) and come here to eat and read. I originally found it by chance, walking alongside the Schanzengraben, but I immediately loved it. It's small, but easy to get to and fun (but relatively quick) to explore, especially if you have kids in tow; and it makes for a great spot for an impromptu lunchtime picnic! It's very quiet, so it's great if you just want to chill and read a book; or even take a short nap on the grass, if the mood strikes ;-) The small octagonal greenhouse is lovely; sometimes it gets rented out for private dinners or performances. There aren't very many benches, but if you are anything like me, you probably prefer to sit on the grass - and it's quite nice here, particularly from late spring to early fall (or as long as the weather holds.)

This is a small little garden that sits by the river. A really nice place to take a breather. Even…read morethough it's small, it's really dense and built on a hill so it hides the city really well. I spent a few hours just reading here.

Between the design and décor of this bar being stunning and the cocktails being next level, this…read morebar adds a special sense of occasion and privilege to your night. The space is so beautiful that it makes you want to capture it in photos to take home. The cocktail list is short but extremely inventive and considered. I'm picky about cocktails and was on a stopover after a two week holiday where I shied away from ordering them because nothing seemed worth ordering in the area I was visiting. This menu was overwhelming, though--so many creative and thought-provoking options that it was hard to choose. We each selected one and it was utterly delicious, making us wish we had time for a second! We weren't sure what to wear and were surprised to see quite a mix, from people dressed in smart casual up to elegant attire. So it's not super prescriptive in that way. Also worth noting--my partner is celiac, so we need strict gluten free food with no cross contamination. At least one of the drinks was elaborate enough (featuring lacto-fermented strawberries) that we thought it was worth double checking with the server about cross-contamination. He took it seriously and advised us confidently (as the other hotel staff had done in our hotel experience with the Widder), and my partner stayed safe. So while we didn't order food, I suspect they would have navigated the issue well.

Iconic bar in the ground floor of the namesake hotel in Zurich…read more Very distinctive decor with old wooden beams and a jillion varieties of handsome liquor bottles. Bartender was friendly although not chatty. Drinks were well prepared. Small tray of nuts, etc to snack on. Nothing in Zurich is cheap but this wasn't eye popping by their standards. Everyone in our group of 3 enjoyed the experience ( and the drinks).

Zurich's Christmas market is located in the main concourse of the Main Train Station. It is known…read moreto be one of the largest indoor Christmas markets in Europe. My husband and I stopped by this past Monday to check out Zurich's indoor Christmas market. Due to covid, staff will request to see your Swiss pass showing that you're fully vaccinated and will ask you for a form of ID like your passport. Be mindful that you must bring them before heading to this Christmas market because I have seen people get turned away not having the proper documentation. Once we walked in, the very first thing we saw was the impressive 32-ft-tall Christmas tree. It was decorated with thousands of sparkling Swarovski crystals. The stalls, all decked out in Christmas decorations, enticed us with their festive temptations. There were several local vendors including food dipped in fondue, local handmade chocolate, and artisan bakeries. The only disappointment was that there were some but not many vendors selling any holiday crafts, ornaments, toys, etc. This Christmas market seemed to be more focused on food and drinks. Nonetheless, it was still fun roaming each row to see what every vendor had to offer. It was also a nice way to stay indoors for a bit when it began to snow outside.

It was amazing! Had lots a fun. Definitely a great experience. Also walking distance from another…read moreChristmas market.

The best free museum in Zurich, which isn't saying much as most museums charge a fee…read more Place is like the road to Hana, where getting there is a big part of the attraction. The main pedestrian route leading to the museum has 180 stairs next to an uphill cobblestone road. Not sure if the road is wheelchair accessible. You would not want to climb these stairs when covered with ice in the winter! Museum has tons of exhibits on insects, mammals, reptiles, fish, and extinct animals. One exhibit features a full size mastodon of the stone ages, while another shows a modern day narwhal with a huge pole like tusk. Modern day armadillo versus an ancient armadillo ten times as large, the size of a refrigerator. Lots of interactive displays, especially for the insects, with magnifying gasses. To get the most out of it, you have to understand German. Clean and free bathrooms, unlike some places in Switzerland which charge the equivalent of a $1 to use, and a cafeteria. Great views of Zurich and the river from the university where the museum is located. Oh, and make sure the brakes on the wheelchair for granny are functioning, when going downhill on that block long cobblestone road!

Free is good, especially when you are in Zurich…read more Zoologisches Museum was nice and quiet on a Thursday afternoon. Sure there were the usual tourists with their screaming kids. I think I would be screaming too if I was a kid and seeing all these huge specimens and models of animals. If you do want some peace and quiet, going to the lower level might be an option. The specimens looks so life like and I did have a "Night in the Museum" moment. Worth dropping by if you need a time out as one cannot eat and drink the whole day!

2nd time here in 10 years. Place is awesome. Music was terrific both times. Ambiance very quaint…read moreand rustic. Can't wait to return.

Quaint fun bar, the homebrew milk drink is interesting, worth a try (milk, Prosecco, brandy and egg…read morewhite). Bartender is a sweet lady who participates in festivities in the best way. Be sure to sing along to the live yodel group that is usually there! August 30, 2023.

The Swiss National Museum is a large museum located next to the Zurich HB train station in central…read moreZurich. The museum was free with the Swiss Travel Pass but otherwise is 13 CHF per adult. They have free lockers for bigger bags. The museum had three floors and spoke a lot about the history of Switzerland from the very beginning. There were a lot of war-related exhibits and stories of refugees. There were also exhibits about the history of banking and the neutrality of Switzerland. The museum was a little confusing to get around; you match the symbols on the walls to the ones on the map. It was cool to read through the history of the country and learn about the different aspects of life that make the country what we know today.

Good museum. Large and cheap for Switzerland and has various types of artefacts. Mostly history, a…read moretouch of geology, a little contemporary art & some historical art. The only downside is the layout is rather disorganised so it's easy to miss stuff.

A great local legend. Hailing themselves as "the last island of the Sihl" (the river Sihl in…read moreZurich), when you step into this joint you transplant yourself to the inner workings of a pirate ship: look up and you'll see a large skeleton staring at you! In the summer, you can really feel the beauty of this location as the soft, cool breeze of the Sihl runs by you as you sit outside with a drink. A no-fuss BBQ food is also available for purchase during outdoor friendly weather. The only negative I find is that there can be at times a lot of smokers outside putting a damper on the nice air, but this is more of a Zurich thang, not El Lokal's fault. The convenience of this location is key - it's a short walk from the Sihlpost stop (Lines 3, 14, 31). Frequented by real hipsters (ya know, those that would never call themselves hipsters), they host regular live band concerts in a cozy atmosphere. Sadly I've heard that this is running into tough times, as I was told this was attributed to younger generations (Millennials/Generation Z...) trending more into club hopping and not so much into live music in small cozy venues. So please support this place and attend a concert here with some friends - could be a great time! Drinks selections are decent, and will please the patriotic Swiss soft drink lovers as they carry stuff from the local Vivi Kola. But hopefully, unlike my favorite pirate Jack Sparrow, you won't be saying "why is the rum gone" when you are here!

Stumbled into this place just walking around. We had two of their beers, sitting at a picnic table…read morenext to the river. There's some comments about them not being fond of tourists, but we had no issues. Maybe we're just friendly, idk, they seemed delighted we were enjoying their beer, and I could have sat there all afternoon in the shade. A real gem. Has the feel of someone turning their barn into a handout with local art and patrons. Didn't find it any more expending than anything else.